Ultimately, it would very much be down to your own discretion. That being said; you would be taking a big risk, particularly if you have children with allergies. As far as we are concerned, food hygiene certification should be a given. No reputable chef worth their salt would ever dare apply for a job without the appropriate certification and training. If you were to hire a private chef through SAVOIR VIVRE, you can rest assured that all of our private chefs are thoroughly vetted to ensure that they have the appropriate qualifications, certification and insurance.

 

The Importance of Food Hygiene Cannot Be Understated

Food hygiene is arguably one of the most important aspects of a chef’s training. Yes, it helps to be a gifted chef with a good eye for ingredients, though unless they can operate safely and hygienically in a kitchen, then they put themselves and others at risk. A top-quality chef, who is passionate and experienced, will pride themselves in having exceptional hygiene. So, if you are in the market for a chef, we believe that it is absolutely paramount for them to have the appropriate food hygiene certification.

Inviting someone into your home to handle the food that you and your family consume day in, day out, is an incredibly personal thing. You want to be able to relax in the knowledge that absolutely everything that you eat is free of contamination and is perfectly safe. The last thing you need is to expose your children to any unnecessary danger.

Of course, not all chef’s who do not have food hygiene certification are going to be terrible chefs. There is no doubt many excellent and talented chefs without, however, – it is simply not worth taking the risk. Ever. If you want to hire the very best, then you should settle for nothing short of the fact. And the very best will have gone the extra mile to achieve all of the relevant certification so that they can prove to their prospective employers that they take their position very seriously. If a chef hasn’t bothered to take the time out to become certified in one of the most important aspects of their jobs, then they clearly aren’t as serious or as passionate as they claim to be.

 

What Hygiene Certification Means

Having the appropriate certification is important because it also proves that they have good personal hygiene and will know what to wear. This means:

  • Their clothing whilst cooking will be suitable, clean and protective
  • They should also tie their hair back or wear a suitable hat or hair net
  • Ensure that they are free of any jewellery or watches
  • Not touch their face and hair, smoke, spit, sneeze, eat or chew gum.

Hygiene certification will also prove that they are aware of how and when to wash their hands. That might sound ridiculous, however this is incredibly important. A chef should always wash their hands in the following situations:

  • When they are in the kitchen or food preparation area
  • Before they begin preparing food
  • After they come into contact with raw meat
  • After emptying a bin or handling food waste
  • After cleaning something
  • After blowing their nose / covering their mouth to cough
  • After touching their phones, lights switches / door handles and so on

Again, those all might seem a little over the top, however in order to guarantee that your food is prepared in the safest and most hygienic fashion, these simple rules must be abided. A chef that is in possession of a food hygiene certificate will almost certainly be well aware of these rules and will adhere to them.

 

Summary

Again, who you invite into your home is very much down to your discretion. – it’s entirely up to you. That being said, if you would like to hire a professional, private chef through SAVOIR VIVRE, you can rest assured that you will receive the most exceptional candidates. These individuals will be impeccably trained with a long history of experience, and they will have all of the relevant qualifications, certification and insurance required to deliver the highest standard of service in the industry. When it comes to food preparation for you and your family, you should accept nothing less than the very best.

If you’re interested in exploring our services further, please feel free to get in contact with us today. One of our friendly advisors will be more than happy to assist you.